Up and running - Thornhill Plus Bus, Southampton

Regeneration & Renewal, 18 January 2008

Objective: To provide transport to people and community groups who cannot access existing public transport or who lack their own transport.

Funding: £755,000 from the Department for Transport and £60,000 from Thornhill Plus You New Deal for Communities project.

Staff: Three paid drivers.

A community bus scheme has been launched in Southampton's New Deal for Communities area to help disadvantaged people get around.

The Plus Bus scheme offers an alternative method of travel to people and community groups who find it hard to access mainstream public transport and who lack transport of their own. Residents associations, children's clubs, scouts and health support groups are already using the service.

The scheme is funded by the Department for Transport and Thornhill Plus You, the NDC project that operates in one of the city's most deprived areas.

Each bus trip costs £1, says Thornhill Plus You director Dave Kellett. "This is a cheaper option than comparative transport," he says. "It is cheaper than a taxi or the mainstream bus route." Up to 15 people at a time can use the bus. The bus route stretches from Moorgreen Hospital in Thornhill to Tesco at Burlesdon taking in Bitterne Health Centre and Bitterne Leisure Centre.

Southampton City Council and social enterprise SCA Support Services worked in partnership with Thornhill Plus You to roll out the pilot community transport scheme. It will run for nine months, with a view to continuing it in the long-term.

Kellett adds that, while the service is primarily for those who have limited access to public transport, it is available to any member of the community. All buses are fitted with wheelchair access, he says.

SCA Group chief executive Brian Strevens says: "SCA is hoping to build upon the results of this pilot to develop a comprehensive transport service for the area."

- Contact us. Do you know of any interesting projects launched within the last six weeks? If so, contact Herpreet Kaur Grewal on herpreet.grewal@haymarket.com.